FW: Navy Times Early Bird Brief

Thank You

Robert Serge

VVA 17 Member

Blog Master

To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember 

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From: no-reply@navytimes.com
To: rserge1@outlook.com
Subject: Navy Times Early Bird Brief
Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 04:42:18 -0600

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COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
September 25, 2014 EARLY BIRD BRIEF Get the most comprehensive aggregation of defense news delivered by the world's largest independent newsroom covering military and defense. ADVERTISEMENT	ADVERTISEMENT TODAY'S TOP 5 1. Airstrikes target oil refineries in Syria held by Islamic extremists (Los Angeles Times) Making the first major push to choke off financing for Islamic State, U.S. and allied Arab warplanes bombed a dozen small oil refineries in eastern Syria on Wednesday that U.S. officials said generated up to $2 million a day for the Sunni extremist group.  2. Back to the Beach: US Marines Upgrading, Replacing Amphibs Under New Strategy (Defense News) In line with the US Marine Corps' new strategy document, "Expeditionary Force 21," future amphibious assaults could be launched 65 to 100 miles from shore, with small landing teams exploiting gaps in enemy defenses.  3. Wrong Turn on Syria: Helping Assad? (New York Times Editorial Board) It's fair to assume that President Bashar al-Assad of Syria was awed, but not shocked, by the barrage of bombs that American planes dropped early Tuesday over insurgent-held areas in northern Syria. It appears, in fact, that he was quite pleased.  4. How the U.S. Screwed Up in the Fight Against Ebola (Bloomberg) Could a large stockpile of ZMapp have halted the spread of Ebola? No one can say. What's certain is that the U.S. government hasn't done a good job taking the idea behind ZMapp and turning it into a treatment.  5. MiG-31 interception near North America suggests Russia changing offensive air ops (IHS Jane's 360) The appearance of two Mikoyan MiG-31 fighter interceptors in a group of six Russian Air Force (VVS) military aircraft intercepted by Canadian and US air force aircraft on 17-18 September suggests a change in Russia's approach to offensive operations.  ISLAMIC STATE A Month of Bombs Dropped in Two Days of Syria Strikes (Bloomberg) The U.S. dropped almost as many bombs and missiles on Islamic State positions in Syria over the past two days as were used in the first month of attacks on the extremist group in Iraq.  Deal With Saudis Paved Way for Syrian Airstrikes (Wall Street Journal) The Americans knew a lot was riding on a Sept. 11 meeting with the king of Saudi Arabia at his summer palace on the Red Sea.  Analysts: Airstrikes Will Fail Unless Ground Troops Combat Islamic State (DoDBuzz) The U.S. airstrikes will not be enough to defeat the Islamic State without ground forces in Syria and Iraq capable of fighting the terrorist group, several analysts said.  U.S., Security Council take on foreign fighters (Politico) President Barack Obama on Wednesday mourned the killing of a French tourist in Algeria, as he led a meeting in which the United Nations Security Council unanimously approved a resolution to address the threat of foreign terrorist fighters.  Treasury imposes sanctions to stem flow of ISIS fighters (The Hill) The Treasury Department on Wednesday announced sanctions on 11 individuals and one Indonesian organization for aiding the flow of foreign fighters and funding to Islamist terror groups, including the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS or ISIL).  Senior al Qaeda strategist part of so-called 'Khorasan group' (Long War Journal) Al Qaeda's so-called "Khorasan group," which was struck in the US-led bombing campaign earlier this week, is run by senior jihadists dispatched to Syria by Ayman al Zawahiri.  U.S. says still assessing fate of Khorasan figure after air strike (Reuters) The United States is still assessing whether or not Mohsin al-Fadhli, a senior figure of the al Qaeda-linked Khorasan group, was killed in a U.S. air strike in Syria, government officials said on Wednesday.  The Khorasan group: 5 things to know (The Hill) The Khorasan Group, an al Qaeda cell in northern Syrian, has gained attention after U.S. airstrikes Monday night targeted the militants.  US airstrikes target Al Nusrah Front, Islamic State in Syria (Long War Journal) The US-led bombing campaign in Syria is targeting the Al Nusrah Front, an official branch of al Qaeda, as well as the Islamic State, an al Qaeda offshoot that is one of Al Nusrah's fiercest rivals.  ISIS' Harsh Brand of Islam Is Rooted in Austere Saudi Creed (New York Times) Caliph Ibrahim, the leader of the Islamic State, appeared to come out of nowhere when he matter-of-factly proclaimed himself the ruler of all Muslims in the middle of an otherwise typical Ramadan sermon. Muslim scholars from the most moderate to the most militant all denounced him as a grandiose pretender, and the world gaped at his growing following and its vicious killings.  Troops, vets divided over how to fight Islamic State (Military Times) Post-9/11 veterans are sharply divided about whether the U.S. air campaign in Syria and Iraq is enough to defeat the terrorists or whether the U.S. needs to commit boots on the ground to destroy the Islamic State.  Syrian rebels angry that strikes hit al Qaida ally but not Assad (McClatchy) Anti-government media activists and rebel commanders gave a mixed assessment of U.S.-led airstrikes in northern Syria on Tuesday, saying that some of the Islamic State encampments hit had been evacuated and one building that was struck had been filled with displaced civilians, even as at least one major Islamic State base was seriously damaged and many fighters were killed.  Al Qaeda Plotters in Syria 'Went Dark,' U.S. Spies Say (Foreign Policy) U.S. intelligence agencies learned this summer of a plot from al Qaeda veterans in Syria to attack European and American airplanes. Then the Khorasan Group went dark.  Female Pilot Leads Airstrikes Against ISIS (Fox News) FOX News can confirm that the first female pilot for the UAE served as the team leader in the U.S. led coalition airstrikes against ISIS in Syria.  Turkey To Broaden Possible Army Operations Against Militants in Iraq, Syria (Defense News) As it faces increasing security threats from Islamic extremists in its south and southeast, the Turkish government has said it will expand parliamentary authorizations allowing the Army to conduct cross-border operations into neighboring Iraq and Syria.  Britain moves toward airstrikes against Islamic State in Iraq (Washington Post) After weeks of largely staying on the sidelines of a U.S.-led air campaign against Islamic State fighters, Britain moved toward a more direct military intervention Wednesday when Prime Minister David Cameron recalled Parliament to debate airstrikes.  Netherlands to send F-16s to fight Islamic State in Iraq (Reuters) The Dutch government said on Wednesday it would deploy six F-16 fighter jets, which could be operational in a week, to support the U.S.-led strikes against Islamic State insurgents in Iraq.  Saudi pilots receive online death threats after air strikes on Isis (The Guardian) Saudi pilots who conducted air strikes on jihadis in Syria have received online death threats after photos were published of those involved, among them a son of the crown prince.  France Considers Switch To Join Syria Airstrikes (Associated Press) France's defense minister says the country is considering whether to extend airstrikes to Syria, and top military officials are meeting Thursday to define the country's mission against the Islamic State group.  Islamic State attacks test Kurdish-Syrian rebel alliance (Al-Monitor) The Islamic State (IS) attack on the area of Kobani - also known as Ayn al-Arab - on the Turkish border north of Aleppo raises a lot of questions about the ability of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) to prevent IS from reaching one of its main strongholds, as IS sweeps through dozens of Kurdish villages.  INDUSTRY DoD will empower military branches to directly procure cloud services (Federal Times) The Defense Department is changing its approach to procuring cloud services, moving away from a two-year-old policy designating the Defense Information Systems Agency as the department's de facto cloud broker.  S. Korea To Buy 40 F-35As for $7 billion (Defense News) South Korea has finalized a deal with the US government to buy 40 F-35As built by Lockheed Martin, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced Wednesday.  Hagel's Right-Hand Man on Acquisition Reform (DefenseOne) Last week, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was supposed to headline the largest Air Force convention of the year, but a more pressing matter came up.  Northrop May Face Another Global Hawk Battle (Aviation Week) The U.S. Navy's MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft program could be cut - not due to draconian budget changes but because of the aircraft's own higher-than-expected reliability.  Navy Surveillance Drone to Wait Until 2020 for Collision Avoidance System (National Defense) Days after the Navy's new long-range surveillance drone flew its first cross-country flight, the service's program manager announced the aircraft will likely not be equipped with a sense-and-avoid system until at least 2020.   GAO Questions F-35 Sustainment Estimates (Defense News) Sustainment estimates for the F-35 joint strike fighter may not be realistic and require further study before a plan is finalized, the government's watchdog wrote in a new report.  Analysis: Expectations for deployment of fifth-generation fighters (IHS Jane's 360) Between the significant procurement price and the particular set of missions for which such aircraft are suited, nations with limited budgets for defense spending should carefully think through their options before committing to purchase these next-generation aircraft.  DARPA seeks a better way to see in the dark (C4ISR & Networks) DARPA is looking for the next generation of wearable night vision gear.  Australia hands Thales LRIP contract for F90 rifle (IHS Jane's 360) Thales Australia has received a low rate initial production (LRIP) contract from the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) for the company's F90 5.56 mm assault rifle, developed to replace the Australian Defence Force's (ADF's) in-service F88 series.  Updated: Norwegian Missile Test On Littoral Combat Ship Successful (USNI News) A Tuesday test of the Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile on Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Coronado (LCS-4) was deemed a success and could pave the way to expand the anti-surface weapons portfolio of U.S. Navy's surface ships.  India extends deadline for MTA bids again (IHS Jane's 360) India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has extended the deadline for overseas vendors to submit bids for the Indian Air Force's (IAF's) Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) requirement, official sources said.  VETERANS Female Veterans Feel Left Behind (Wall Street Journal) When Devon Reyes returned from her first deployment to Afghanistan in 2009, she withdrew from family and friends.  VA to unveil new standardized disability claims forms (Military Times) The Veterans Affairs Department is introducing new, standardized disability claims forms that officials say will make it easier for veterans and their survivors to clearly state what benefits they're seeking from VA and provide the right information to process their claims and appeals, officials said Wednesday.  Unclaimed remains get proper burial at National Cemetery (Cape Cod Times) Five veterans of World War I or II received a long-overdue official farewell Tuesday at the Massachusetts National Cemetery, in an interment service attended not by relatives but by dozens of military supporters.  Nonprofit groups honored for supporting troops, vets and families (Military Times) A housing facility that helps veterans with transition issues or addiction problems, a program that provides critical dental care to needy veterans, two programs that support military children, and an entrepreneurship "boot camp" for veterans are this year's Newman's Own Award winners.  CONGRESS Inhofe Demands Details Before OK-Ing Ebola Funding (Associated Press) The top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee is holding up money to fight Ebola until the Obama administration provides details on how the military would protect American personnel sent to Africa to battle the epidemic.  Lame Duck Watch: Congress Will Vote on Islamic State War 'One Way or Another' (Defense News) US Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Carl Levin says Congress will eventually vote on authorizing President Obama's war on the Islamic State (IS) - "one way or another."  Sen. Levin: Military Should Not Give Up on Sequestration (National Defense) There is no chance that Congress will repeal sequestration before he retires, but Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., insists that lawmakers might find a way to relieve the military and civilian agencies from automatic budget cuts next year.   Sen. Levin: 'We're Gonna Have an Authorization Bill' (Defense News) A key US senator believes Congress will pass a Pentagon policy bill this year, but he cast further doubt on the upper chamber ever taking up its own version of the legislation.  McCain to Obama: Leave residual forces in Afghanistan (The Hill) Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) urged President Obama not to repeat mistakes made in Iraq by leaving Afghanistan too quickly.  DEFENSE DEPARTMENT Coffee-cup salute puts Obama in social media cross hairs (Military Times) It's not clear what was in the coffee cup President Obama held earlier this week when the sunglass-wearing commander in chief offered a beverage-assisted salute to Marines as he disembarked Marine One in New York City.  Making The Cloud Work For The Military (Breaking Defense) Apple, Amazon, and Google long since outstripped the Pentagon in information technology. But as the military and intelligence community try to take advantage of commercial IT innovation, especially in cloud computing, they have run into harsh limits. Security, long-range bandwidth and the sheer volume of data have created problems for the Pentagon that current commercially available cloud services can't solve, two senior defense officials told me recently.  DODDS Europe names new deputy director for curriculum, instruction and assessment (Stars & Stripes) A longtime DODDS educator and school administrator currently working in Italy has been selected as the new deputy director for curriculum, instruction and assessment for military schools in Europe.  ARMY Troops aiding Ebola effort in Africa have minimal chance of infection, USARAF chief says (Stars & Stripes) Soldiers sent to Liberia to assist in fighting an Ebola epidemic that experts say could kill hundreds of thousands face minimal chance of contracting the deadly disease, U.S. Army Africa's commander assured concerned families Tuesday.  Former drill sergeant found guilty in sexual misconduct case at Fort Leonard Wood (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) The judge in the court-martial case is recommending a 20-year sentence.  Ex-West Point Cadet Loses Suit Vs. LaBelle's Staff (Associated Press) A former West Point cadet has lost a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against members of RandB singer Patti LaBelle's entourage whom he accused of beating him as he waited for a ride outside a Houston airport terminal.  Army names senior NCOs to move up in October (Army Times) These senior NCOs have been selected for promotion in October, the Army announced Wednesday.  NAVY CNO: Port visits expanding across Asia-Pacific (Navy Times) The world is heating up - and that offers some new and exciting port visits for sailors. Nowhere is that more true than in Southeast Asia.  Navy halts nuclear work at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (Virginian-Pilot) The Navy has suspended most nuclear work at Norfolk Naval Shipyard after discovering, on two separate occasions in recent weeks, that civilian workers improperly handled potentially contaminated equipment.  Farewell, frigates (San Diego Union-Tribune) Farewell, frigates. Two of San Diego's remaining three frigates are coming or going this week, their final trips before being decommissioned.  Navy's Triton unmanned aircraft flies cross country (Navy Times) The MQ-4C Triton is about 3,000 miles closer to the fleet after completing its first cross-country flight, demonstrating its potential to keep up with manned aircraft once it goes operational in three years.  AIR FORCE Was that a Lackluster F-22 Debut? (Aviation Week) The F-22's combat debut -- the twin-engine stealth fighter was used in anger against Islamic State (IS) extremists gaining footholds in Syria and Iraq early Sept. 23 in a wave of air strikes -- was not the dazzle many had expected. After years of hearing the refrain of the F-22's purpose to "kick down the door" (thank you Gen. John Jumper, former USAF chief of staff) of air defenses, clearing the way for other assets to do business in an air battle, many probably expected the F-22's debut to be just that.  Bill targets C-130s; flown by 910th at YARS (The Vindicator; Youngstown, Ohio) Legislation aimed at modernizing the nation's fleet of C-130H cargo and troop transport planes, co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, could bode well for the future of the 910th Airlift Wing, which flies C-130s out of the Youngstown Air Reserve Station. Robins airman convicted of sex crime (Macon Telegraph; Ga.) A Robins Air Force Base airman is temporarily being held in the Houston County jail after he was found guilty of sending a dirty text message to a child.  MARINE CORPS Marines Emphasize Advantage of Sea Basing (Defense News) US Marine Corps' officials told reporters they are very focused on sea basing, particularly as a means of dealing with the "anti-access, area denial" problem.  Marine Corps develops new equipment built for the Osprey (Marine Corps Times) New equipment being developed by the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab is tailor-made to fit inside the service's most expeditionary aircraft - the MV-22B Osprey.  Crowd salutes fallen Marine (Free Lance-Star; Fredericksburg, Va.) Lee Russell leaned against his motorcycle Tuesday afternoon outside the Fraternal Order of the Eagles, joining the crowds honoring Sgt. Charles C. Strong, a Marine who died Sept. 15 in combat in Afghanistan.  Driverless vehicles get smarter as Corps gets lighter (Marine Corps Times) It probably won't look like Google's self-driving Prius, but the Marine Corps will soon get a hybrid-electric unmanned prototype vehicle as driverless technology gets more tactical.  One killed, 2 injured in crash at checkpoint (San Diego Union-Tribune) A 24-year-old active-duty Marine from Camp Pendleton who was driving his 2008 Ford F-250 did not see the stopped traffic and ran full speed into the rear of the BMW, Bettencourt said.  Pendleton corpsmen to get ultra-realistic combat trauma mannequin (Marine Corps Times) Corpsmen in California will soon have a new mannequin to help them train for tending to the grisliest of combat injuries.  AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN US: Afghan Security Deal May Be Signed Next Week (Associated Press) The Obama administration expects that a security agreement allowing U.S. troops to remain in Afghanistan next year will be signed by the country's incoming president as early as next week, a senior State Department official said Wednesday.  Will Afghanistan's new leader settle the country's relations with the U.S.? (Washington Post) Outgoing Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai delivered a farewell address Tuesday in Kabul, panning U.S. policy in Afghanistan without once mentioning that more than 2,000 U.S. service members have been killed there since 2001 and more than $100 billion in U.S. money has flowed in from Washington, propping up Afghanistan's ministries and security forces.  Rebuild Afghanistan's Giant Buddhas? Foot-Shaped Pillars Give Legs to Debate (Wall Street Journal) A pair of brick pillars, with an uncanny resemblance to feet, appeared late last year where a giant Buddha stood here.  MIDDLE EAST VIDEO: Iran claims to have armed UAS (C4ISR & Networks) Iran has built a drone equipped with missiles to shoot down aircraft, according to the semi-official news agency Fars.  AQAP claims attacks in Sa'adah and Sana'a (Long War Journal) On Sept. 22, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) claimed credit for two separate attacks carried out earlier that day, in the midst of serious political and sectarian upheaval rocking the country. The attacks, a suicide operation in Yemen's northern Sa'adah province and a bombing in Sana'a, both targeted Shiite Houthi rebels who have been leading an open insurrection in the Yemeni capital for the past several days.  Amid a Maze of Alliances, Syrian Kurds Find a Thorny Refuge at the Border (New York Times) Turkish tanks dot the hills here, guarding against Islamic State militants advancing just across the Syrian border. Lines of police officers fan out across fields, brandishing shields to stem the flow of Syrian Kurds fleeing the militants.  US Issues Terror Warning To Citizens In Turkey (Associated Press) The U.S. Embassy in Turkey has issued a security warning, urging U.S. citizens to be vigilant against possible terrorist attacks in retaliation for U.S. airstrikes against the Islamic State group.  Hassan Rouhani, President of Iran, Experiences Rare Unscripted Moment (New York Times) Mr. Rouhani and his entourage encountered an unscripted moment on Wednesday near the end of a speech at the Hilton in Midtown Manhattan, when two people in the audience suddenly held aloft photographs of political prisoners in Iran.  EUROPE Poland Tests Border Protection In Major Exercise (Associated Press) Poland launched a major military exercise with international allies on Wednesday to test joint response to security threats at a time of armed conflict in neighboring Ukraine.  NATO Says Russia Pulled Some Troops From Ukraine (New York Times) Russia has withdrawn a large number of troops from Ukraine, but maintains a significant force near the border that could quickly re-enter the country, NATO officials said Wednesday.  Leaders at U.N.: Ukraine conflict threatens world order (USA Today) Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory and its support of separatist fighters confronting government forces in eastern Ukraine threaten to revive the Cold War and destroy a world order based on rule of law, world leaders said Wednesday.  An Orwellian nightmare for pro-Ukrainians in rebel-held east (Washington Post) Khutor and Nika move briskly on the sidewalk, but not fast enough to draw attention. They have tried to memorize the "wrong streets" - the ones where they know the pro-Russian rebels who seized this city now regularly stand guard in camouflage, AK-47s poised. But sometimes the two of them get it wrong. Like now.  Ukraine Picks Motley Group to Exchange for Prisoners (New York Times) At first glance, the prisoner swap between the Ukrainian government and pro-Russian separatists appeared fair enough: On a deserted stretch of highway along the front line, each side released 28 captives, observing a principle of numerical parity.  ASIA-PACIFIC India Weighing Nuclear Powered Carrier (USNI News) India is considering powering its second domestically built aircraft carrier with a nuclear propulsion plant, according to a Tuesday report by news agency Press Trust of India.  Abu Sayyaf Group threatens to kill German hostages (Long War Journal) The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), a jihadist organization based in the Philippines that previously was tied to al Qaeda and is now loyal to the Islamic State, has released a statement in which it threatened to kill a German hostage unless Germany backs out of the coalition with the United States. In a message released on Twitter in Arabic and Filipino, ASG said it has two demands for Germany, stipulating 15 days to meet these demands or the hostages will be executed.  Teenager Shot Shows Islamic State Threat in Australia (Bloomberg) Mohamed Elomar stopped talking to his father two years before leaving Sydney for Syria, where he started posing on social media with the heads of soldiers who were on the wrong side of Islamic State's fight.  Hong Kong students skip classes to demand democratic elections (USA Today) Thousands of Hong Kong college students are skipping classes this week to join a civil disobedience campaign to protest the Chinese communist government's refusal to allow free elections for the semi-autonomous city.  Chinese Leaders Discuss Replacing PBOC Chief (Wall Street Journal) Chinese leaders are discussing replacing the central bank chief amid disagreements over the direction of financial policy, raising questions over how quickly and deeply Beijing wants to remake the economy amid slowing growth.  AFRICA French hostage Herve Gourdel beheaded in Algeria (BBC) France has confirmed that an Algerian jihadist group linked to Islamic State (IS) militants has beheaded tourist Herve Gourdel, seized on Sunday.  Jonathan Says Boko Haram Devastating for Northern Nigeria (Bloomberg) Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram's insurgency is having a "devastating" impact on three of the country's northeastern states, President Goodluck Jonathan said.  In Liberia, Home Deaths Spread Circle of Ebola Contagion (New York Times) The family of the sick man, who had endured Ebola's telltale symptoms for six days, took him by taxi to treatment centers here in the capital twice, only to be turned back at the gate each time for lack of beds. He died at home, his arms thrashing violently and blood spewing out his mouth, in front of his sons.  COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS Thank You for Bombing (Daveed Gartenstein-Ross) Washington says its air war on the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Syria is part of a strategy to "degrade and ultimately destroy" the organization. It may have another effect: swelling al Qaeda's ranks and giving the jihadist group that Osama bin Laden founded a new lease on life.  After U.S. airstrikes in Syria: If the Arab Spring wasn't dead already, it is now (Ishaan Tharoor in The Washington Post) For well over a year now, the Arab Spring has struggled on life support, doomed to die with barely a whimper. Instead, it ended definitively with the bang of U.S. airstrikes in Syria, coordinated with five of the Arab world's most authoritarian states. The long winter of a protracted war with the Islamic State and affiliated jihadists now seems here to stay.  The Anti-ISIL Strategy: Let's Whack Another Mole and Hope It's the Last (Robert Egnell in War on the Rocks) A fortnight ago President Obama and his inner circle finally came up with a strategy to "degrade, and ultimately destroy" the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and now we are seeing its fruits as the United States and its Arab allies bomb the group from the air.  Wartime sexual violence is not just a 'weapon of war' (Kerry F. Crawford, Amelia Hoover Green and Sarah E. Parkinson in The Washington Post) Sexual violence has played a prominent role in recent media treatments of wars in the Middle East.  Sorry, The Presidential Salute Isn't A Real Thing (Brian Adam Jones in Task & Purpose) Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, flew to New York City today to speak to the United Nations about a range of issues from climate change to the war he just started against ISIS militants in Syria. But many of the headlines were focused on something far more trivial. Obama debarked Marine One with a cup of coffee in his hand, and when he went to salute the Marine standing by the helicopter, he kept the cup of coffee in his hand.  Traditional Amphibious Warfare (Marine Reserve Maj Trevor Howell in Marine Corps Gazette) Moreover, a return to amphibious warfare in the same way traditionalists have wanted since Inchon, with the opposed amphibious landing being the crown jewel of these forcible entry operations, will be detrimental to the Nation and the Corps.  Thoughts for Units Conducting Military Engagement in the New Normal (Tom R. Przybelski in Small Wars Journal) The 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) puts significant emphasis on the need to build capacity in foreign militaries and rely on those partners to both improve regional security and further US interests.  Some thoughts about how the Army could better tell its story to the American people (Retired Army Lt. Gen. David Barno in Foreign Policy) The United States Army is struggling to explain its relevance as it returns home from 13 years at war.  Could America Lose Its Superpower Status? (Daniel Goure in Real Clear Defense) At last week's Air Force Association annual conference, I was privileged along with other defense analysts to have a series of conversations with senior Air Force leaders, many of whom are responsible for conducting a wide range of day-to-day operations in complex and at times dangerous parts of the world. They see the evolution of threats to U.S. global interests and the rapid rise of military competitors up close.  Time to Take Chemical Weapons More Seriously (Dan Kaszeta in Cicero Magazine) Since the birth of the Chemical Corps back in World War I (then called the Chemical Warfare Service), chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) officers and noncommissioned officers (NCOs) have lamented the general lack of preparedness in the U.S. military against a chemical weapon attack. In my 20 years of experience, despite the clear threat that CBRN weapons present to America and its forces, the U.S. military has rarely taken training for the possibility of operating on a CBRN battlefield seriously. This can and should change.  Sufism in Asymmetric Warfare: Human Networks of the Somali Qadiriyya tariqa (William Allen in Small Wars Journal) Stretching from Mogadishu, Somalia to Mombasa, Kenya to Port Linid, Tanzania, Islam has touched the lives of millions of people across the Benadir Coast, bringing with it language, customs, traditions, and values that are still present in East African life today.

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